Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International United Kingdom Section

The next Annual General Meeting of Amnesty International UK Section will take place on 22 June 2024 between 11am and 5pm, at the Pennine Lecture Theatre, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, S1 1WB. Registration will commence at 10am.

The AGM is free to attend for members of the UK Section and the venue is about 5 minutes walk from Sheffield railway station. Refreshments and lunch are provided, as well as a hot meal after the event for those who would like to stay on and socialise. We request that members planning to attend the AGM in person register their attendance online, using the booking link below. 

What happens at the AGM?

The AGM will receive written and verbal reports from the Board Chair, the Treasurer, the Chief Executive, Returning Officer and Nominations Sub-Committee. It will receive the accounts for the previous year and appoint the Section’s auditors, as well as electing the AGM Chair, Standing Orders Committee and Members and Directors Appeals Committee (see below).

A feature of the AGM is the debate and voting on resolutions that are submitted by the Board and by members of the UK Section. The official agenda and the resolutions are set out in the Notice of the AGM, which can be viewed and downloaded at the bottom of this page. 

In addition to the formal business, we are planning some interesting human rights content and networking opportunities, including activist stalls and the chance to relax and socialise after the event. Running order and timings will be posted on this page after they have been finalised in mid-May.

How to vote at the AGM

We hope that you will be able to join us in Sheffield, or online, but if you are unable to participate on the day, you can still have your say by appointing a proxy to vote for you at the meeting. We refer to this as proxy voting. 

To appoint a proxy/vote ahead of the meeting, either go to:

1. www.amnesty.org.uk/vote and enter the Voter Reference Number and PIN, which should have been sent to you separately (from 3 May). Should your session time out or if you are prompted, enter the Control Number 918977.

2. Download a copy of the proxy form, available at the bottom of this page, and follow the instructions on the form. Please include your name and Voting Reference Number on the form when returning it.

For all methods of proxy voting, voting will open on 3 May 2024. The submission deadline is 9am on 20 June 2024.

How to take part

We’re delighted to be taking our AGM out of London for the first time since 2019 and hope that members will join us in person, in Sheffield. To take part at the venue we would appreciate it if you pre-register through the following booking link
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/amnesty-international-uk-agm-2024-ticket…

If you are worried about the cost of attending, a limited number of travel bursaries are available for members who need financial support to attend the event. Please contact activistevents@amnesty.org.uk. The event itself is free but only Amnesty International UK Section members can attend.

If you can’t get to Sheffield, you can participate on the day through your computer, tablet or smartphone. If you choose to participate online, you will be able to view a live webcast of the meeting, comment, ask questions and vote on the resolutions in real time. 

To take part go to www.amnesty.org.uk/AGMLive. You will need the latest version of Chrome, Edge or Firefox. Please ensure your browser is compatible. You will need your Voter Reference Number and PIN, sent to members separately (from 3 May). Please read the Members Online Meeting Guide, available below, for further information. 

Get involved – stand for election at the AGM

The deadline for candidates wishing to join the AGM Standing Orders Committee has now passed. However, we are still looking for individuals who wish to stand as the AGM Chair (for 2025) and for the Members and Directors Appeals Committee.

• The AGM Chair, elected for one year, is responsible for making sure that the business of the AGM is conducted in an efficient and orderly way. It is the most important role at the AGM but they get lots of support from the Standing Orders Committee and our staff.
   
• The Members and Directors Appeals Committee is responsible for considering an appeal made by an individual who has been expelled from the membership, or a Board member removed from office due to an act of serious misconduct or bringing the Company into disrepute. Members serve a three-year term.

Role descriptions and nomination forms can be downloaded from the links at the bottom of this page. The deadline for nominations is 11am on 22 June 2024. If you would like an informal conversation about these roles, please contact the Nominations Sub-Committee by emailing nomcom@amnesty.org.uk.

Emergency resolutions

The deadline for submitting a resolution has now passed. However, members may still submit an emergency resolution. To qualify, it must not have been possible to formulate the resolution and submit it in writing before the original deadline of 23 February 2024. Emergency resolutions may be submitted on the Template resolution Form below (disregarding the original deadline). They must be submitted to agm@amnesty.org.uk by 11am on 22 June 2024 (the start of the meeting). However, advanced notice is appreciated.

If your resolution is country-related, you are strongly advised to consult with the relevant AIUK Country Coordinator. Contact details can be found at https://www.amnesty.org.uk/country-coordinators

It can also be useful to consult with the Standing Orders Committee to avoid any last-minute problems, or if you need any clarification or information. Please contact soc@amnesty.org.uk.

As many matters can be addressed or resolved without a formal AGM resolution, please also consider an informal discussion with the Section board before submitting your resolution. To do so, please email agm@amnesty.org.uk.

Key documents and forms can be found below.